Disclaimer: This story is a not-for-profit fanwork production. All rights to images, characters, logos, and names included therein from the Pandora Hearts anime/manga series are owned by Jun Mochizuki, Yen Press, and Square Enix respectively.

All original elements — including story text — are owned by tiniestdormouse. No fanwork from this work may be duplicated or redistributed without expressed permission from the original creator.

Rating/ Warnings: PG

Pairings: Leo/ Elliot

Note: This is written as a prize for brittleskyblue as part of the Book of Levi Reader giveaway (the-book-of-levi dot tumblr). Enjoy!

"Keeping up Tradition"

Leo watched the winding road as the carriage traveled through the blustery weather. This was his first official holiday from Lutwidge Academy, and unlike the time he spent at the House of Fianna, for once, he had an actual forever home to go to.

Not that holidays at the orphanage were terrible. The bustle of so many young occupants never went away, and in fact, Leo often got annoyed how hyper-excited the other orphans got at the prospects of the Winter Solstice and charity gifts and the big meals that came at the tail end of the year. On the other hand, Leo preferred to hole himself up in the library with a few dozen good books to wait out everyone else's joy. He hated the holidays, because they reminded him of the family he didn't have to share them with.

Until now. Elliot's booted foot kicked at the baseboard of his seat. "Hey you," he snapped. "Weren't you listening to anything I said?"

"Of course not," came the snapped reply. "How do you think I survived the last hour in this carriage?" He gave his only playful thump in return and pushed his glasses along the bridge of his nose.

Elliot rolled his eyes. "I was saying Mother's going to be throwing her annual ball later than usual this year, so we'll have to attend." He propped an elbow on one knee. "It usually happens during exams, and I've begged off attending last year, but I suppose she expects me to be out in society more often."

Leo caught onto the reasons for Elliot's moodiness. When Elliot turned fifteen, he was obligated to attend all of the Nightray's various social engagements on behalf of the family, and discovered how much he despised the two-faced society he had to mingle with. He didn't mention, however, how in recent days, Elliot had no choice but to make appearances as the remaining male heir to the family name. It was a show of strength, Lord Barnard once lectured to the blond youth, and Elliot always attended out of duty. Leo suspected that these events were even more painful to Elliot for the same reason why Leo hated the holiday season.

As the carriage rode through the center of town, Leo got an idea. He pulled the curtain and glass window aside and stuck his head out. Wisps of flakes hit against his glasses and whipped through his tangled black locks. "Driver!" he called. "Stop by that toymaker stop."

"Sir?" The driver wasn't used to a manservant giving him orders. Elliot, catching the doubting tone in his voice, followed suit behind Leo and repeated, "You heard my friend."

The driver halted and Leo leapt out of the side door. The snow had gathered so thickly it clung to the tops of his boots. "We don't need to get to the estate by nightfall, right?"

"Yes…" Elliot crossed his arms. "Leo, now's not the time to get gifts for the House of Fianna."

"Not for them." Leo had spotted his prize in the store window – a lacquered red and black toboggan, propped up on the side of the display next to an elaborately carved hobby horse. "We'll take this."

"A sled? What for?"

"Good gods, Elliot, what do you think? We might as well have some fun while the snowfall's fresh."

The toy owner named the price as she moved it from the display and Leo jerked a thumb to his best friend. "Elliot said he'd cover for it," which brought another flabbergasted look from the blond.

"C'mon," Leo wheedled, "Don't tell me you're itching to go to the estate."

A moment passed and then Elliot gave a half-hearted shrug. "I don't know any good sledding spots," he mumbled.

"Well, leave that to me."

The driver arched an eyebrow upon seeing Leo carry the toboggan tucked under one arm, with a slightly reluctant Elliot beside him. Leo lay the sled diagonally across one of the seats and took Elliot's side. "You know the estate woods better than I do," Leo instructed the driver. "Take us to where there are good hills."

"By the western edge, Mast-erm, Leo?"

"South of that," came the grunted reply from Elliot. "Above the fishing beds." Leo gave Elliot a look, but the other teen gave a hrumpf and spent the remaining time staring out the window.

The carriage pulled up short on the road through the forests, where Elliot instructed him to wait until dark. "One run," he told Leo. "Just one run and we can't dawdle."

"We'll have to hurry and get to the top then." Leo threw back his scarf over one shoulder, wondering to himself why he was the one to lift Elliot's mood. Leo was used to being a cranky one for various reasons: because his Lutwidge roommate was a morning person, and he was not; because Elliot ruined some perfectly good paperbacks with his muddy rugby equipment; because Elliot complained when Leo left the light on just when Leo was getting to the good part of his latest novel.

Seeing Elliot's stormy expression slowly disperse as they trekked the hill, however, made things completely worth it. Leo felt a warmth in his chest that for once, it was him making an effort to cheer Elliot up, and the blond wasn't the one causing any annoyances (despite the cold creeping in on his toes).

The top of the hill was higher than Leo expected and the two of them stood for a moment as they caught their breath. Leo shielded the snow from his eyes and gazed upon the woodlands beyond them and the frosty road which lead to the manor house, starkly outlined by the whiteness around it.

Leo dropped the toboggan on the snow. "Who goes first?"

Elliot, now fully accepting that there will be sledding, plunked himself in front. "Like you'd know how to steer."

Leo was about to say something lewd in response, but instead, plopped behind Elliot and hooked his arms around his waist. He saw the back of Elliot's neck suddenly flush with the contact and then Leo did let the remark slip: "At least I know how to ride."

"Shaddup."

Elliot scooted the sled forward and suddenly, Leo suddenly remembered that he probably should take his glasses off lest they tumble into the snow by accident and oh gods, this hill was a lot steeper than-

A scream came from his lips as Elliot gave a whooping cry as they swooped down the hillside. Leo's stomach lurched—he clung tighter to Elliot's waist; the other boy didn't comment, but raised a fist in the air as the bottom of the hill came fast approaching.

Leo only saw how large the trees were up ahead. "Steer, you idiot!"

The pair zoomed between the trunks and Leo ducked his head to avoid any low-hanging branches. Elliot skillfully pulled the reins of the toboggan like he would a thoroughbred and the sled made a neat semi-circle turnaround as it pulled into a clearing. His laughter didn't stop the whole time as Leo tumbled onto his side. Elliot slapped the back of his shoulder as he got to his feet.

"Fantastic, eh?" He clambered through the drifts. "Race you to the top!"

Elliot guided their sledding three more times until he finally egged Leo to take the ropes, and once he did, Leo nearly careened them into the first pine he saw. Elliot's usual cheerfulness that came with physical activity had overtaken Leo's initial enthusiasm. Leo could only laugh as the blond next suggested that they build a snow fort in the clearing they had pulled into on the first run.

He came to the base of one particularly large oak and piled snow all around it. "This is the best defense," he declared mischievously, "being away from the wind."

"Defense against what?" Leo asked, before the first snowball hit the back of his neck. Parts of him were much colder and wetter than he expected at this point, but he still gave a yelp as iciness slid down his neck. "Damn it!" He gathered a handful of snow and tossed it in retaliation.

The shot went wide; Elliot ducked nevertheless and already had another round snowball in his gloved hands. "The vanquished has to carry the toboggan back to the carriage."

Leo pushed his snow-blinded glasses up and dashed behind a tree. Quick and diligent, he began to amass his own wintery ammunition. "You underestimate the throwing arm of an orphan," he declared. "I confronted eight toddlers once. Toddlers."

Leo's experienced throwing arm met its match with Elliot's well-trained fencing one. Half an hour past before Elliot called a truce. Now rosy-checked with bits of frost clinging to his matted hair, wet from beneath his woolen hat from exertion and Leo's well-placed throws, Elliot hauled the sled back as twilight fell. No matter what obligations waited ahead of them, however, Elliot's general rough-edged good nature showed through.

"How did you know this place?" Leo couldn't help but ask.

Elliot halted his steps and Leo saw the line of his shoulders dip a little. "I used to come here every winter after the first heavy snow," he admitted in a quiet voice. "Just Ernest, Claude, Nessa, and me. And Fred sometimes, when he visited from the south. "

"Oh." Leo bit his lower lip. The last thing he wanted to do was remind Elliot of-

Elliot wrapped his friend in a one-armed hug. Leo felt the heat of Elliot's body through the layers of his coat and blushed.

"Thanks for helping me keep up tradition."

The corner of Leo's mouth jerked up in a wry grin. "Anytime."